Humidifying device



Oct 23, 1934. 5 CORNELL, JR 1,977,821

HUMIDIFYING DEVICE Filed Feb. 28, 1933 b o v 1'5 1:12. I4 C5 14 INVENTOR,

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38 HI TORNEY EDWARD SCORNELLJR.

Patented Oct. 23, 1934 UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE My present invention relates to. humidifying devices and. more particularly to a humidifier comprising generally a heating element and a casing for containing water or other'suitable fluid to be humidified by the heating element.

My invention is particularly adapted for cooperation with a regulation heating radiator, which is usually provided with two vertically spacedopenings, and such openings are availed of 1 for effecting communication of the heating element of the humidifier with theinterior of the radiator and advantageously for thesupport of theheating element and therewith for the support of the humidifier.

Such arrangement affords ready access to the humidifier in the operation of the same, and enables its construction as a whole to be of reduced dimensions, of low sales price and cost of operation, and lends itself to artistic designs.

Preferably, my humidifier is constructed to be optionally utilized with heating systems of the hot water, steam and other regulation or approved types.

In carrying outmyinvention, I preferably utilize a substantially open ended container provided at its open end with a removable perforated or foraminous cover through which the vapors may be expelled; the cover may be adjustable to regulate the rate of discharge of the humidifying vapors. i

I may also provide automatic means for supplying fiuid to the humidifier; such automatic means, preferably, provides for maintaining the level of the fluid within the humidifying device at a substantially. constant level.

I have also provided, in addition to the heating element cooperating with the heating radiator,

supplemental heating means, which may be of the electrical type, and thermostatically controlled to operate or supplement during periods of non-heating or low temperature of the heating medium utilized in the radiator. Preferably, such electrically operated supplemental heating means iscontrolled by a thermostat directly influenced by the temperature of the fluid within the container.

An object of my invention, therefore, is an improved humidifying device.

An object of my invention is an improved humidifying device, adapted for attachment to and support by an ordinary heating radiator.

An object of my invention is an improved humidifierassociated with a radiator and in which .means is provided for circulating the heating medium of the radiator through the humidifier and for heating the humidifying fluid therein.

An object of my .inventionlis an improved humidifying device having as component parts thereof a pluralityof co-ordinated heating means for evaporating the humidifying fluid.

An object of my invention is an improved means for maintaining a, substantially constant level of liquid within the humidifier.

Further features and objects of the invention will be more fully understood from the following detail description and the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view, showing a section of a radiator of either the steam or hot water type,

and further showing my improved humidifier attached thereto; 3

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation of a preferred embodiment of my invention, the internal M parts being shown in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevation of a preferred form of fluid level controlling attachment, on an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional elevation of a thermostat control for the supplemental heating means. 1

Referring to the drawing, I have shown at 10 a casing, preferably cylindrical, which may be closed atone end 11; such end 11 is preferably formed integral with the material of the casing.

The end of the casing 10, remote from the end 11, is openas indicated at 12, and such open end l2-is preferably covered by a removable cap 13 provided with a plurality of perforations 14 through which the vapors of the humidifying liquid may pass upward and outward. The cap 13 may be adjustable for regulating the rate of discharge of the vaporized fluid, in which event I may provide a relatively-rotatable plate 13a, having openings 14a, the plate 13a being secured to and'rotated by an operating knob 13b,

whereby upon setting the plate 13a for adjusted registry of the openings 14a relative to the openings 14, the efiective discharge therethrough is regulated.

Within the container 10 is a body of fluid 15 of any suitable character, as ordinary water. Preferably, I provide means, hereinafter described, for maintaining the level of such body of liquid substantially constant within the container 10.

Within the container 10 is mounted a suitable heating element, such as the illustrated section of fin heating element 16; the lower end of the heating element 16 is shown associated with a shown) through a cable 36.

header 17, and screwed into such header and extending through a perforation formed in the side of the casing 10 is a nipple 18. The header 1'7 is sealingly attached to the container 10, as by means of a packing washer 19 and a nut 20. As will be noted from an inspection of Fig. 2, the nipple 18 may extend outward beyond the nut 20 for purposes hereinafter described.

Attached to the upper end of the heating element 16 is a header 21 which is attached to the casing 10 by a nipple 22, threaded into its end.

and extending through a perforation in the casing 10 and may be held in position by a pack-,

ing washer 23 and nut 24.

At the upper end 25 of the upper header 21 is provided a perforation which may be closed by a plug 26.

Such assembly, as above to an end or other suitable section of an ordinary radiator 27 by means of suitable connections attached to the nipples 22 and 18, as will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 1. The radiator 27 is supplied with heated fluid such as hot water, steam, etc., from the usual source of supply, indicated by the pipe 28; the flow of such fluid is shown controlled by a valve 29.

It is apparent therefore that the heating fluid passing through the pipe 28 and into the radiator 2'7 passes also through the heating element 16, and therefore, the heat thus transmitted to the heating element 16 is in turn transmitted to the body of the 'humidifying fluid 15 within the container 10, and the fluid 15 is thus vaporized and the vapors pass out through the perforations of the cap 13, into the chamber or room in which the radiator is located.

It is also apparent that the rate of evaporation of the fluid 15 will be proportional to the amount of heat supplied to theradiator and the relative size of the heating'element and of thecasing 10 may be accurately proportioned in accordance with the heating capacity of radiator 27. It is also apparent that the humidifying device is operated concurrently with the radiator 27 by the heating medium supplied'through the pipe 28 from the source of supply. I

In certain circumstances, it is desirable to operate the humidifier when the heating fluid for ther-adiator 27 may be shut oil or discontinued. as for example, it may be desired to humidify the air 'within a chamber or room on a dryday, even though the temperature of the heating element is supplied with heating current from any suitable source of supply (not The member 31, as shown, may be provided adjacent its bottom end with holes 37. Preferably, the supplemental heating element is directly controlled thermally in response to the temperature of the heating fluidof the heating system, as bymeans of a thermostat mounted in a casing 41 that is located in the casing 10.

In the absence or the discontinuance of the supdescribed, is connected ply of the heating medium, the thermostat is responsive to variations of the temperature of the room.

The casing 41 is shown closed at its inner end, as indicated at 42, and intermediate its ends may be provided an enlarged flange 43; that portion of the member 41 extending from the flange 43 to the outer end, that is, remote from the end 42, may be threaded, as indicated at 44; such threaded end extends outwardly through a perforation in the casing 10. The

member 41 is shown retained in position by a packing washer 45 and a nut 46. The terminal 40, within the member 41, is carried by a plug :47 of insulating material forced into the member 41, and associated with the terminal 40 is a bi-metallic thermostatic member 48 provided on its outer free end with a contact 49 which is associated with a contact 4911., connected to the conductor 38. The contact 49a is shown mounted on the insulatingbushing 39, secured inthe casing 41.

The operating circuit for the heating element 35 is thus controlled by the bi-metallic thermoover a range, say to the minimum, as for example 60 F.; by such arrangement the supplemental heating means is in operation automatically during the stage of interruption or discontinuance of the supply of the heating fluid in the heating system over a temperature range, at the minimum temperature of which range the supplemental'heating means is automatically rendered non-operative.

- Any other desired mode of coordination of the supplemental heating means may be employed.

Preferably, the cable 36 may have associated therewith a manually operable switch, see 36a, whereby the same may be put into or cut out of service at any time independently of the operation of the thermostatic control device shown in Fig. 4.

As thehumidifying fluid 15 is heated and evapcrates. the levelof the same Within the casing v1i) is lowered, and therefore, I preferably provide means for automatically supplying fluid to the humidifier; most preferably, and, as indicated at 50, such fluid supplying means serves to maintain the level of the humidifying fluid within the casing substantially constant.

In connection with this feature, attention is directedto Figs. 2 and 3, and referring to such figures, a, header51 is provided with a laterally extending nipple 52 threaded on its exterior and extending through a perforation in the casing 10 and such header is held in fixed position with respect to the casingby the packing washer 53 and nut 54. The main portionof the header '51 is closed at the bottom and its upper open endh is threaded to receive a nipple 55,'such nipple such as to havethe same extend upward above the level of the fluid 15 within the casing 10.

Intermediate the ends of the tubular member 58 is an annular constriction 59 which forms the support for the lower end of a closed cylindrical member or float 60 when such float is in its lowermost position, and secured to the lower end of the float 60 and extending downwardly through the longitudinal bore 56 is a valve stem 61 which carries at its lower end a valve 62 that cooperates with and is adapted to seat on the valve seat 57. Between the upper end of the nipple 55 and the annular constriction 59, the

tubular member 58 is provided with a plurality of perforations 63 through which the fluid 15 may circulate and through which new fluid passing into the interior of the casing 10 may flow.

The nipple 52 is connected by a pipe 64 with any suitable source of fluid supply, as for example, the ordinary city water supply under mod erate pressure.

The operation of this portion of my invention is as follows. Assuming the level of the fluid 15 to be at the desired height, the float 60 will move upward within the tubular member 58, bringing the valve 62 into association with the seat 57 and cutting off the flow of fluid through the nipple 52,

header 51 and nipple 55 through the holes 63. As the fluid 15 evaporates during the humidifying operation, the level thereof will fall, causing a corresponding lowering of the float 60 within the tubular member 58, and when the float 60 has lowered sufliciently to remove the valve 62 from the seat 57, the flow of fluid will be resumed from the source of supply through the header 51 and holes 63 into the interior of the casing 10, and this action is automatic and positive at all times.

From the above, it is apparent that the fluid heating element of my humidifier operates in cooperation with conventional heating systems, such as hot water, steam, and other suitable types, and effects the evaporization of the humidifying fluid contained in the casing.

For steam and like heating systems, it may be desirable to employ an air valve, which may be inserted through the medium of a hollow casting connected intermediate either of the nipples 18, 22, the casting having a threaded opening for receiving a regulation automatic air valve for steam heating systems.

cap for the casing, a heating element in heat fluid heated radiator, comprising a casing for holding a humidifying fluid, an opening-provided cap for the casing, a heating element in heat exchange relation to the humidifying fluid, communicating means for operatively connecting the heating element with the interior of a radiator, supplemental electric heating means for heating the humidifying fluid, said supplemental heating means being secured to the casing in heat exchange relation to the hurnidifying fluid, thermostatic means responsive solely to the temperature of the humidifying fluid within the casing for controlling the operation of the supplemental electric heating means and means arranged to be connected with a suitable supply of humidifying fluid for supplying the same to the casing.

3. A humidifying device for cooperation with a fluid heated radiator, comprising a casing for holding a humidifying fluid, an opening-provided cap for the casing, a heating element in heat exchange relation to the humidifying fluid, communicating means for operatively connecting the heating element with the interior of a radiator, supplemental electric heating means for heating the humidifying fluid, said supplemental heating means being secured to the casing in heat exchange relation to the humidifying fluid, thermostatic means responsive solely to the temperature of the humidifying fluid within the casing for controlling the operation of the supplemental electric heating means and means arranged to be connected with a suitable supply of humidifying fluid for supplying the same to the casing to a substantially constant level.

4. A humidifying device for cooperation with a fluid heated radiator, comprising a casing for holdinga humidifying fluid, an opening-provided cap for the casing, means for supporting the cas- Also, it may be desirable to supply an air vent fying fluid, and thermostatic means responsive 1" solely to the temperature of the humidifying fluid within the casing for controlling the operation of the supplemental electric heating means.

EDWARD S. CORNELL, JR. 

